Most players have a Bb trumpet that they generally like, but one that is often extremely different than their C trumpet. It is because of these differences that many players do not choose their Bb trumpet for much (or even any) of the repertoire that they regularly perform in the orchestra. Although there has been tremendous progress over the last several decades helping C trumpets to work optimally in symphony orchestras, many of the lessons learned and technological achievements have not been applied to the Bb trumpet to help it become a more powerful tool for orchestral playing.

In the same way that the Yamaha YTR-9445CHS C trumpet combines expressive individuality with unified compatibility between players, the Chicago Bb is compatible not only with how the C trumpet sounds, but also with how it feels to play. This Yamaha trumpet is designed as an optimal companion to the YTR-9445CHS and makes possible an unprecedented ease of immediate switching between C and Bb trumpet. Whether playing it as a solo instrument or in a section with other C trumpets, the YTR-9335CHS is an efficient and versatile choice for players at every level of accomplishment.

A Tough Act to Follow:

Shortly after the release of the 9445CHS trumpet in the summer of 2004, it became apparent that this instrument truly met and exceeded the needs and expectations of many of the world's top soloists, orchestral and chamber music players. A successful Chicago Bb trumpet would have to start with an in-depth understanding of what combinations of qualities would satisfy the most demanding professional standards and the finished product would have to be tested and retested on its own and in a symphony orchestra.

First Attempts:

Bob Malone designed and built several prototypes during January 2005 that would test ideas he had for how the Chicago Bb trumpet could be configured. He sent them to Chicago for testing, and the results gave him the necessary feedback to modify the next generation of prototypes that could begin to be tested in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During the testing, players were asked to be very sensitive to how the prototypes felt compared to their C trumpets, and to switch rapidly back and forth between the prototype and their C trumpet to make the differences even more apparent. Many mouthpipe, bracing, and tuning slide configurations were tried in various combination to discover a design that would be favorable. John Hagstrom traveled to the Yamaha Custom Shop in Grand Rapids Michigan to work intensively with Bob Malone, and the result was a set of prototypes that seemed to be compatible and complementary to the C trumpet. It was now time to extensively test these trumpets in rehearsals and performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The Preferable Choice

As was the case with the early prototypes of the Chicago Bb trumpets, these trumpets sounded and felt great on their own. Additionally, they had a very similar sound, resistance, intonation, and response characteristic as the C trumpet. However, when tested in the orchestra, they did not perform as well as the C trumpet when it came to blending with other instruments. More modifications were necessary, and Bob Malone traveled to Chicago several times to listen and slightly adjust bracing that would improve this trumpet to be the preferable choice for orchestra professionals. A final design recipe for the Chicago Bb was completed, and the specifications for the preproduction process were sent to Japan for assembly.

Yamaha is known throughout the music world as the leader for consistent quality in every instrument. This quality comes about because of excellent design ideas, but also because no detail is overlooked within the mass manufacturing process. The Chicago Bb trumpet would be no exception to this strict inspection process, and the first preproduction instruments were tested to make sure that they performed at or above the level of the initial prototypes.

It was one of the most ambitious trumpet designs projects ever attempted, which could only have been successfully achieved by attention to quality and detail at every step of the process. The Yamaha YTR-9335CHS Bb Artist Model Trumpet offers unprecedented compatibility and expressive potential for players all over the world at eery level of accomplishment. For those who choose this Yamaha trumpet early in their playing career will have virtually guaranteed an easy time learning C trumpet someday with the purchase of a matching YTR-9445CHS.

If you need an trumpet to provide artistic freedom in the most discriminating musical applications--then the Yamaha Artist Model will be the one for you.

Variable wall thickness bell

The combination of the variable bell thickness combined with a unique side-seam design helps the player produce a full, rich sound. Variable wall thickness simply means that the bell material gets thinner as it flares out towards the bell rim.

Malone MB1 mouthpipe design

The MB1 has evolved over many years by Yamaha Brass Designed Bob Malone. This unique design allows better hand position by repositioning the mounting point for the bell brace. Overall trademarks of the MB1 mouthpipe include superb intonation and even tone color throughout the range of the instrument.

Good horn. A little thinner brass material than I expected but the leadpipe/bell make up for it. EXCELLENT control over tone color is the best feature of the horn. It lets you shape the music the way you desire, and the ease of response really helps fight fatigue. Great horn!